December is the UAE’s peak month. Perfect weather (20–26°C), the UAE National Day on December 2, Christmas in a city with a large Christian expat population, and one of the world’s most photographed New Year’s Eve displays all combine to make December the most in-demand travel month. Book everything - hotels, flights, attractions, and restaurant tables - months in advance.
Dubai 25°C and Ras Al Khaimah Mountains at 5°C: December’s Wide Temperature Range
| Location | Avg High °C | Avg Low °C | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 25 | 16 | Ideal, clear, occasional light rain |
| Abu Dhabi | 25 | 15 | Perfect, dry and sunny |
| Sharjah | 25 | 15 | Similar to Dubai |
| Ras Al Khaimah | 23 | 12 | Cool evenings, mountain areas can reach 5°C |
| Fujairah | 24 | 16 | Clear, light seas, good diving |
| Al Ain | 24 | 12 | Cool and dry - best month for Al Ain |
UAE National Day on 2 December, Dubai Shopping Festival Launch and New Year Fireworks
UAE National Day (December 2): A national public holiday. Fireworks over Dubai Creek, the Burj Khalifa, Abu Dhabi Corniche, and most major cities. Light displays, flag processions, and celebrations across all emirates. Some roads close for parades. Hotels fill early that evening.
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF): The major retail promotion typically begins in late December (exact dates vary annually) and runs through January or February. Retail discounts, nightly raffles, outdoor entertainment, and fireworks at Dubai Festival City.
Christmas: Dubai has a large Christian population and fully celebrates Christmas. Hotels, malls, and restaurants run Christmas menus and decorations from late November. Christmas Day itself is a working day (not a UAE public holiday) but festive environments are comprehensive.
New Year’s Eve: Dubai’s Burj Khalifa/Downtown fireworks are among the world’s most watched. The Burj Al Arab area and the Palm are also major celebration zones. Tickets to rooftop parties and restaurant events cost approximately AED 500–2,500 per person. Street viewing is free - arrive by 20:00 for a good Downtown position.
Ras Al Khaimah New Year’s Eve: RAK has competed for the world fireworks record multiple years. The Al Marjan Island display is spectacular and less crowded than Dubai, with many hotels offering packages from approximately AED 400–900 per person.
Dubai Shopping Festival: Gold Souk Promotions, Nightly Raffles and Mall-Wide Discounts
The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) typically launches in late December and runs through late January or early February, making December arrivals the first to catch the opening weeks. The festival spans the whole city: mall-wide discounts often reaching 50–75%, nightly raffles where the top prize is commonly a car or kilogram of gold, and outdoor entertainment zones at Dubai Festival City and Deira’s Gold and Spice Souk areas.
The best DSF shopping is at Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and City Centre Mirdif. The Gold Souk in Deira also runs DSF-aligned promotions - gold prices follow international spot rates, but making charges (the craftsmanship fee) are often reduced during the festival. Expect queues at malls on evenings and weekends; weekday mornings are noticeably quieter.
Global Village at Peak Programming: 90 Countries, Camel Milk Ice Cream and Friday Fireworks
Global Village runs from roughly October to late April, but December is when it reaches peak programming. Located on Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (about 20 minutes from Downtown Dubai), it brings together pavilions from over 90 countries, each selling food, crafts, and produce from their respective regions. Admission is approximately AED 25 for adults, free for under-3s.
December evenings at Global Village are genuinely enjoyable: temperatures around 20–22°C make walking between pavilions comfortable, and the nightly fireworks displays run Friday and Saturday evenings. Allow a full evening (4–5 hours) to cover the pavilions properly. The UAE pavilion has the most spectacular food section - try the camel milk ice cream and luqaimat (sweet fried dumplings). Parking is ample but fills from 18:00 on weekends; ride-hailing is easier.
Liwa Mega Dunes Overnight Season Opens: December Nights at 12–16°C Are Ideal for Camping
December is the opening of the desert camping season. Overnight temperatures in the Dubai and Abu Dhabi desert drop to 12–16°C - cool enough to make sleeping in a tent genuinely comfortable rather than a sweat-soaked ordeal. The Liwa Mega Dunes in Abu Dhabi emirate (roughly 3.5 hours southwest of Dubai) offer the most dramatic overnight experience: 100-metre dunes, near-zero light pollution, and some of the clearest winter skies in the Gulf.
Organised overnight desert camps typically charge approximately AED 350–550 per person including transport from Dubai, dinner, breakfast, and dune activities. Premium camps with private tents and barbecue dinners run from approximately AED 700 per person. December is when these operators begin taking bookings in earnest - the most-rated camps sell out weekends well in advance.
Madinat Jumeirah Boardwalk and JBR Beach Terraces: December Outdoor Dining at Its Best
December weather is the best argument for outdoor dining in the UAE. With daytime highs of 24–25°C and evenings around 16–18°C, virtually every terrace and rooftop restaurant in Dubai opens fully. The Madinat Jumeirah boardwalk is particularly good in December - multiple restaurant terraces line the canals, with Burj Al Arab visible from most of them. Book 3–7 days ahead for terrace tables; the New Year’s week blackout period starts around December 29 when special menus replace the regular offering.
JBR Beach (Jumeirah Beach Residence) has the best cluster of casual outdoor dining: the Walk and The Beach development have 30+ restaurants with alfresco seating. Bla Bla Dubai, Riva, and Lock Stock & Barrel all work well on December evenings without the formal-dinner price tag of the Madinat hotels.
Everything Is Optimal in December: Desert Safaris, Hiking RAK and Al Ain Oasis at Their Best
Everything is optimal in December: desert safaris, beach days, mountain hiking in RAK and Fujairah, sightseeing, outdoor dining, and cultural visits. The weather makes Al Ain’s oasis and zoo particularly enjoyable. The Liwa area in December is also excellent - dune temperatures are around 22–28°C.
Peak Rates and New Year Packages: Burj Al Arab, Address Downtown and Rixos RAK
Peak rates apply across the board. Book 3–6 months ahead for early December, and 6–12 months ahead for the week of December 29 through January 2 if you want specific properties.
Search hotels in Dubai, UAE on Booking.com
New Year’s Week: Atlantis The Palm New Year’s packages from approximately AED 5,000 per night for two including events access. Rixos Ras Al Khaimah runs one of the best value package deals at approximately AED 2,500–3,500 per night for two including the fireworks event on Al Marjan Island.
Better value in December: The first two weeks of December (before Christmas week) represent good value relative to the last two weeks - temperatures are identical, prices are 20–30% lower.
- Burj Al Arab (Dubai): the iconic all-suite hotel; rates from approximately AED 5,000–8,000 per night in December; reserve months ahead
- Address Downtown Dubai: central for New Year’s Eve Burj Khalifa fireworks; rooms with views of the fireworks from approximately AED 3,000–5,000 on New Year’s Eve
- Rove Downtown: budget-friendly mid-range; from approximately AED 400–600 per night in early December
Atmosphere at Level 122 and Al Fanar for Emirati Food During the Shopping Festival
- Atmosphere (Burj Khalifa, Level 122, Dubai): dinner with the world’s highest restaurant view; approximately AED 400–600 per person; booking essential months ahead for December
- Al Fanar (Dubai Festival City): traditional Emirati food; a good choice during DSF when the adjacent festival city is illuminated; approximately AED 80–150 per person
- Nusr-Et (various Dubai locations): the theatrical steakhouse experience; approximately AED 400–700 per person; queues and wait times in December - book ahead
Light Daytime Wear and a Genuine Jacket for 16°C Evenings: December Packing Guide
Light to medium clothing for the 25°C days. A genuine jacket for evenings - Dubai lows hit 16°C and the mountain areas of Ras Al Khaimah can reach 5–8°C overnight. Layers work well since indoor AC remains aggressive despite the cooler outdoor temperatures. Swimwear - the sea and pool weather is excellent. Good walking shoes for increased sightseeing distances, particularly around Global Village.
December is the month the entire world competes for UAE hotel rooms. Advance planning is not optional - it is the difference between a great trip and a frustrating one. Book flights, hotels, restaurant tables for New Year’s Eve, and attraction slots (Burj Khalifa especially) as far ahead as possible.
December Trip Planning
- Best time to visit the UAE - full month guide
- Dubai NYE fireworks guide
- Christmas in Dubai
- Warmest place in the UAE in December
- UAE winter sun guide
- Burj Khalifa visitor guide - book months ahead for December
- Ras Al Khaimah travel guide - NYE fireworks at Al Marjan Island
- Desert safari guide - ideal conditions in December
- Hatta day trip from Dubai - excellent in December
- Diving in Fujairah - peak visibility
- 7-day UAE itinerary
City-level guides cover Dubai in December, Abu Dhabi in December and Christmas in Dubai.
Plan Your Trip
Book 6–12 months ahead for New Year’s week (December 29–January 2) and 3–6 months for the rest of December. Flights should be locked in as early as possible - fares climb steeply as the month approaches. Travel insurance before you depart: UAE hospitals are expensive without cover. An Airalo eSIM means you are connected from landing. For December specifically, a Liwa overnight desert safari is the standout booking - December nights at 12–16°C are the peak of the desert camping season and good camps sell out weekends well in advance. Burj Khalifa ticket slots for New Year’s Eve must be booked separately through the official site, typically months ahead.